Keeping your study permit valid

You are required to extend your study permit before it expires. Among other conditions as a study permit holder, you must also remain enrolled and make reasonable and timely progress towards completing your program. Failing to do so could lead to your removal from Canada. Please speak with ISSAC if you are facing difficulties and need to take a leave from your studies. 

Changing DLI

Starting November 8, 2024, students must be enrolled in the designated learning institution (DLI) named on their study permit. This means that students can no longer change DLIs by letting IRCC know through their online account. To change DLIs, students need to get a new study permit by applying to extend the current one.

IRCC also released a special measure for the following scenario:

If you were accepted to a new DLI for the Winter or Spring 2025 semester

You can start studying at your new DLI if you

  • have been accepted to a DLI for the Winter/Spring 2025 semester, and
  • have applied for a study permit extension, and
  • have a study permit that remains valid and that doesn’t have the DLI name printed on it, and
  • meet all your existing study permit conditions

If you meet these criteria, you can attend the new DLI you wanted to transfer to while your study permit extension is being processed.

To find out more information about your specific situation, please see here. The University of Saskatchewan DLI number is: O19425660421.

Extending your study permit

Every study permit has an expiration date identified on the document. If your studies require you to remain in Canada beyond the expiry date of your study permit, IRCC must recieve your application for extension before your current study permit expires. IRCC recommends submitting your application at least 30 days before your current permit expires.

ISSAC recommends submitting your application at least 3 to 4 months before your current study permit expires.

Completing your program

Your study permit becomes invalid 90 days after you have completed your study program or, the date of expiry as stated on the study permit, whichever comes first.

Your program is considered complete when you receive written notification of program completion (for example, an official letter or a final transcript) from your institution or once you obtain your degree, diploma or certificate.

The University of Saskatchewan is required to report to IRCC on your continued enrolment status. If you have any questions about this, please check out the Reporting Enrolment Status and/or speak with an adviser at ISSAC. 

Applying to extend your study permit

Study permit extensions are for in-Canada applicants only. You cannot apply for your study permit extension from outside of Canada. You must apply online from within Canada through IRCC website.

If you have not done so already, you will have an option to create either a GCKey account or a Sign-in Partner account. Both accounts work the same when applying for your study permit extension. However, Sign-In Partner account is available only to those who have a bank account with certain Canadian banking institutions.

Use the Change Conditions, Extend my Stay or Remain in Canada as s Student [IMM5709] form for your study permit extension. Always download the most current version of the form from the IRCC website.

Application cost is $150.00 CAD.
 You can check processing times online

Required documents

Generally, you will need the bellow supporting documents. However, depending on your personal situation, whether you are applying for acompanying family members' extension of immigration documents at the same time, and how you answer questions in the pre-application questionnaire in your online account, you might need to provide different and/or additional documents. 

Please note that you must set up your online application through the IRCC secure online account FIRST by answering questions and creating a personalized document checklist to know which documents you actually require. 

1. Confirmation of Enrolment from the University of Saskatchewan.

  • When applying to renew your study permit, your Confirmation of Enrollment (COE) Letter is required instead of your Letter of Acceptance.  If your Confirmation of Enrollment (COE) specifies you are in the final year of your program (for example fourth year of a four-year program), it is suggested to provide a letter of explanation identifying your expected completion date.
  • If you have completed one program of study and got accepted into another program of study, you will need to include both your Confirmation of Enrolment (COE) Letter and your Letter of Acceptance (LOA) for your new program of study.

2. Proof of means of financial support

  • You must prove you have enough money to support yourself and your dependents (if applicable) while you study in Canada. Find out what documents you can use to prove you have the minimum amount of money that you will need. Please note, IRCC made changes to the minimum funds required on Jan 1, 2024. 

3. Copy of your passport

  • You must include the biodata page of your passport with your picture, plus all other pages with stamps, visas and/or markings. 

4. Passport-size photo

You do NOT need a PAL (provincial attestation letter) if you are in Canada, have a valid study permit and are applying for a study permit extension. 

Additional documents, such as, for example, a medical exam, and biometrics, may be required and can vary depending on your situation. Therefore, be sure to always carefully read and follow the application instructions. When in doubt, contact ISSAC!

Confirmation of Enrolment (COE) Verification

Аs a designated learning institution (DLI), the University of Saskatchewan must now verify documents proving acceptance or enrolment for the following applications of international students: 

  • post-secondary study permit applications submitted outside Canada
  • post-secondary study permit applications submitted within Canada including study permit extensions.

All current USask international students must use the official Confirmation of Enrolment (COE) Letter issued by the USask MyCreds service - available in students' PAWS account - for study permit extension application purposes. Any alterations to any USask issued documents, including the Confirmation of Enrolment (COE) Letters are strictly prohibited and can result in negative implications for IRCC application purposes. 

If application is refused

  1. Read your refusal letter thoroughly. If possible, address the issues identified in the refusal letter and apply for extension again if the current permit is still valid. Please note you have lost your status if your study permit expires and you have not applied to renew it. You must stop studying and working immediately.
  2. Contact ISSAC and speak to an adviser – we are here to help!
  3. Consider making an Access to Information Request to get the Immigration Officers' notes if it makes sense time-wise. This will give you the more detailed reasons for your application refusal. You must be in Canada to make this request. It costs $5.00 and you should receive a response in approximately 30 days. 

If your study permit has expired

Maintained status during processing (previously called implied status)

If IRCC receives your renewal application BEFORE your current study permit expires, you have maintained status during processing. Under this circumstance, you may continue studying and working as a student under the same conditions pending a determination of your application for renewal, as long as you remain in Canada.

It is not advisable to leave Canada while an immigration document extension is in process and/or your current document will expire while you are abroad. If you think you will be facing this situation, please consult the IRCC website and speak with an adviser at ISSAC. Further consult travelling outside of Canada

Loss of status

You have lost your status if your study permit expires and you have not applied to renew it. You must stop studying and working immediately. You may be able to retore your status. 

There is no guarantee that your application for restoration will be approved. You need to pay $150 for a new study permit as well as the $200 restoration fee.  You must provide a letter of explanation as to why you have lost your status.

You should speak with one of the advisers at ISSAC immediately if yoou have lost your status.  We are here to help!

After renewing study permit

Remember to do the following after you renew your study permit:

Taking a leave from studies

If you need to take a leave from your studies because you are Required To Discontinue (RTD) from your program, or because of a personal, medical, financial or any other reason, please come talk to ISSAC to discuss the immigration implications and review this guidance to learn about the supports and resources you may need.

Completing the application

Common questions when completing the application

When you apply to extend your study permit, you can ALSO:

  • apply for/extend a co-op work permit (if eligible or applicable)
  • apply for/extend documents of your dependents (e.g. a spouse/partner’s work permit or a child’s visitor record or study permit)

 What is a UCI in the IMM5709 form? 
It stands for a «unique client identifier» as well known as «client ID». It appears on all official documents from IRCC.  

 What is a document number in the IMM5709 form? 
It appears on all official IRCC documents. It is usually printed in black ink as one letter followed by 9 numbers. 

 How to answer «Duration of expected studies» question in the IMM5709 form? 

In «from» write the date on which you are filling out the application. In «to» write the date that is 90 days after your anticipated completion date. You may stay in Canada for 90 days beyond the completion of your studies only if you have a valid study permit. This time period is called a “bridge extension”.

 How to fill out the «employment» section in the IMM5709 form? 
If you do not have a job, you can write «student». 

 How to sign the form when applying online? 
It is not possible to sign the form if applying online, so upload the form without signing. After uploading all your documents, you will later be asked to electronically sign your application by typing your name.

 Is it needed to upload the proof of a medical exam? 
In general, most students in Canada do not need proof of a medical exam unless (1) they lived in certain countries for more than 6 months in the past 12 months, or (2) they wanted to work in certain health-related occupations. Read more. 

Will I need biometrics? Find more information here.

The immigration information on this page has been reviewed and endorsed by an immigration lawyer in compliance with the Canadian Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. However, this is not a legal document and information may change without notice. Always refer to www.cic.gc.ca for the most up-to-date information, or contact ISSAC.

Getting help

Use the International Student Guide to learn about life as an international student at the U of S including immigration matters and information on working and living in Canada.

International Student Guide

If you can't find what you need in the International Student Guide contact The International Student and Study Abroad Centre (ISSAC). We are here to help! Drop-in advising is available.

ISSAC